Behind 2016’s Turmoil, a Crisis of White Identity

According to the analyses of political tumult in the United States and Great Britain that Amanda Taub reviews, “national and racial identity were often conflated for the white majority. . . and now it seems under threat.”

One Comment on “Behind 2016’s Turmoil, a Crisis of White Identity”

When we entertain the mindset of personal gains and losses based on race, we further perpetuate a multi-dimensional network of oppressive practices that has no racial barriers. Oppressive practices, policies, and laws that inhibit, marginalize, and disenfranchise targeted populations affect everyone. The article discloses this very fact by stating “For generations, working-class whites were doubly blessed: They enjoyed privileged status based on race, as well as the fruits of broad economic growth.” When we deconstruct the words, we see the word “blessed” implying that “working-class whites” differed from other working-class people. “White people’s officially privileged status waned over the later half of the 20th century with the demise of discriminatory practices” meaning that the “blessing” was crafted in laws and policies that restricted access to others and that over time affected everyone. Behind 2016’s Turmoil, a Crisis of White Identity demands a deeper conversation on race.